17
Cardioid
The cardioid pick-up pattern is acoustically neutral for large acceptance
angles. Typical for the push-pull transducer is its high rear attenuation for low
frequencies (typ. 30 dB), which allows signals from the rear to be effectively
attenuated. The cardioid pick-up pattern is the most versatile characteristic. It
is the ideal choice for speakers, soloists and smaller instrument groups.
Supercardioid
Figure-of-eight
The supercardiod pick-up pattern features a higher directivity than the
cardioid pick-up pattern, which results in efficient attenuation of diffuse signals
and prevents feedback. Thanks to its good lateral attenuation (10 dB), the
supercardioid pick-up pattern is particularly well suited to mike or support
soloists in noisy environments, i.e. situations in which lateral sound is to be
effectively suppressed. In this case, too, the transducer provides a frequency-
independent directivity.
The figure-of-eight pick-up pattern provides total attenuation of lateral sound,
which makes it particularly well suited to separate or support adjacent sound
sources such as single instruments or instrument groups in large orchestras.
Annoying reflections from the floor and the resulting comb filter effects can be
effectively reduced.